It just makes sense: Hospitals should serve healthy food, right? For some, that's not the case. But in Hancock,
Portage Health is joining a new statewide movement called Healthy Food Hospitals.
The movement's goal is to help residents and patients eat better, and what better place to start than in hospitals? It's inspired by a statewide obesity rate that's much higher than average.
And hospital employees and visitors will benefit too, as healthier food options and preparations become the norm in the health systems' cafeterias.
Mark Pittillo is the director of food services for Portage Health, and says his department serves about 8,850 meals each month. The campaign, from the
Michigan Health and Hospital Association, is welcomed, but Pittillo says he and his staff are already doing many of the things the Healthy Food Hospitals are asked to do.
"I believe in quality food options for our patrons," says Pittillo. "Not just in terms of taste, but also satisfying the need for people to eat healthy."
Even if the food doesn't change a great deal, the awareness surrounding the campaign should hopefully help patients, visitors and staff make better food choices, and some things will change.
That includes default menus, nutritional content labels, and a commitment to Michigan-produced foods, all of which will help Portage get a four-star rating from the program, the highest possible rating.
"These are positive steps not only for Portage Health, but for the entire community," says Pittillo.
According to the program, Michigan is the tenth most overweight state in the country, with nearly a third of adults classified as obese, and annual medical costs in the state related to obesity are more than $3 billion.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Mark Pittillo, Portage Health Food Services